Reviewing mobile applications that can improve efficiency, productivity and client care. This blog also fosters communication between psychologists and application developers.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Do some of your clients need social support? Let's talk about the Anxiety, Depression and Bipolar Connect apps

By now everyone knows about Facebook! Approximately 500 million people have used the site to connect to others. In my opinion, the statistic speaks to many peoples' need for social connectedness.

This blog post, however, is not about Facebook. It is about Alliance Health Networks. The company has built a series of applications that harness the power of online social networking, and adapted them to help those struggling from depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety (and other medical conditions). The social support apps allow members to share their thoughts and struggles and receive feedback from others in the community.

While I personally do not know if these type of applications are helpful (scientifically speaking - and please correct me if I am wrong). The fact that many individuals are using the apps is a good sign. For now, I can only praise Alliance Health Networks for making these tools available free of charge. Have any of you referred these applications to clients? Do you foresee positive or negative outcomes?